From $25 to $10,000,000: A Guide to Political Donations

After the emergence of Super PACs that followed recent court cases,
political donors are nearly free to give as they choose, with their
decisions guided mainly by how they want to direct their money. Here are a
sample of donation goals and the options for achieving them.

$5,000

An ardent supporter of gun rights wants to donate $5,000 to an organization that will advance the issue nationwide.

How it's Done

$5,000

The donor may give up to $5,000 to a special interest's Federal PAC. (Two of the largest gun rights groups in the country, the N.R.A. and the Safari Club International, have such PACs.) These groups would use the money to influence individual elections across the country, either by donating directly to campaigns or buying ads themselves. They would have to disclose the donor's name and information to the Federal Election Commission.

$5,000,000

An ardent supporter of gun rights wants to donate $5,000,000 to an organization that will advance the issue nationwide. He does not want his name publicly disclosed.

How it's Done

$5,000,000

Giving to the Federal PACs of gun rights groups would be limited to $5,000 and require disclosure. If a group has a nonprofit arm -- called a 501(c)(4), or just "C4" -- the donor could give unlimited amounts to it, and the group would not have to disclose his name. The C4 could spend the money as it wishes, as long as political activities did not constitute the group's major purpose.

$10,000,000

A billionaire wants to give $10,000,000 to help Democrats regain control of the House.

How it's Done

$10,000,000

This amount exceeds the $30,800 the billionaire would be allowed to give to a party committee. For a donation this large, a "Super PAC" is probably the best option, because it can accept unlimited donations to spend on ads for or against specific candidates. For example, the donor could give the $10 million to the House Majority PAC, a Super PAC organized to elect Congressional Democrats and run by a former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee official. The billionaire's name would be disclosed in public filings.

$7,500

A small-business owner wants to give $7,500 to re-elect a senator from her state, and she wants the candidate to have as much control over the money as possible.

How it's Done

$7,500

The most direct way to give money to a single candidate is to donate to his re-election committee, which would finance most of the things associated with campaigns, like advertising, hotel rooms, staff, and gas for the campaign bus. The contribution limit for an individual is $2,500 per election, so the donor could give a total of $5,000 toward the primary and the general. She could give the remaining $2,500 to the candidate's Leadership PAC, which would be used to donate to other Congressional candidates in return for political clout.

$1,000,000

A wealthy donor, who prefers to remain anonymous, wants to give $1 million to help Herman Cain win the Republican nomination.

How it's Done

$1,000,000

The donor would be able to give only $2,500 per election directly to Herman Cain's campaign. Since there is currently no Super PAC aligned with Mr. Cain, the donor could start his own, donate the $1 million to it and use the organization to buy ads supporting the candidate (or targeting his opponents) in early primary states. If anonymity is important to this supporter, he could donate the money through a company he owns without disclosing his name.

$1,000,000+

A national chain restaurant wants to give millions to advance its own interests, regardless of any political parties.

How it's Done

$1,000,000+

This company could donate money to a Federal PAC like the National Restaurant Association, but those donations would be limited and would have to be raised from the company's employees. It could give to state-level committees, though rules and limits vary by state. It could also start a Super PAC and spend money in unlimited amounts, or make expenditures directly from its treasury, but that might create bad publicity. If anonymity is important, it could give unlimited amounts to a nonprofit that engages in political activity.

$200

A college student has $200 to donate to Ron Paul's primary campaign.

How it's Done

$200

The student may donate directly to the candidate's campaign committee (the limit is $2,500 per election). Because he is giving $200 or less, his name is not required to be disclosed in public filings. Small donations can add up, however. In 2008, more than a third of Barack Obama's total money came in donations of less than $200.

$10,000

A longtime Democratic Party fund-raiser has $10,000 to donate to the party, and it's important to him that party officials know his name.

How it's Done

$10,000

With all the new opportunities for unlimited donations, official party campaign conduits like the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee may lose their influence as main sources of political fund-raising. But for those who have been giving for years, the donations (up to $30,800 per year, which require disclosure) might also be a way to gain or maintain prominence within the party. The committees might also argue that they are better equipped to support the party than Super PACs or nonprofits.

$25

A college student can afford to give just $25 but wants it to go to the candidate who needs it most.

How it's Done

$25

The donor could give to a conduit Federal PAC like ActBlue, which supports Democratic candidates nationwide, or Raising Red, which collects money for the eventual Republican presidential nominee. Since the amount is less than $200, the PAC would not be required to disclose the donor's name in public filings.